In the late nineties, gastroenterology was still a developing field in India. Only a handful of centres offered specialized care, and diagnostic facilities were scarce, particularly outside major cities. As a result, many patients went undiagnosed, and gastrointestinal diseases were often overlooked. While the field has changed significantly over the last 25 years with greater awareness and better access to diagnostic tools, the shortage of trained specialists made the gap in gastroenterology even more evident.

This gap is what motivated Dr Prataprao Haribhau Gole to pursue gastroenterology. During his MD at BJ Medical College, Pune, he trained under Dr AL Kakrani in the gastroenterology unit, where he gained extensive experience with endoscopic procedures. That early exposure made him realize the importance of the specialty and the potential impact it could have on patients who otherwise had little access to such services.

His fellowship in Mumbai further strengthened this thought. He could clearly see how patients in semi-urban and rural India were struggling without timely diagnosis or treatment. Even though he was raised in Mumbai and trained in Pune, he always carried the intent of reaching out to the regions beyond metros. That is what led him, in 2004, to start his practice with the aim of bringing reliable gastroenterology care to people who needed it the most.

Academic Foundation

Dr Prataprao’s academic background laid a strong foundation for his career. He was the topper in his MBBS batch and the only candidate selected for MD Medicine. While pursuing his MD at BJ Medical College, Pune, the hospital’s heavy patient flow gave him the exposure to a wide range of cases, with diverse presentations across both gastroenterology and general medicine. This exposure not only sharpened his clinical skills but also shaped his scientific and thoughtful approach to applying knowledge.

Early Milestones

When Dr Prataprao began his work, awareness about gastroenterology services was limited. Introducing a high-end gastroscope itself became the first and great milestone, as it brought advanced diagnostic capability to the region. As awareness grew, colonoscopy was added, which until then was not easily available in these parts of the country. In 2004, he started offering gastroscopy services, and by 2009 the scope expanded further with interventional ERCP procedures.

Spreading Awareness & Overcoming Challenges

The first and foremost challenge for Dr Prataprao was to educate people about gastroenterology. To begin with, he focused on general practitioners, as they were the first point of contact for most patients. Over the

span of five years, he conducted nearly 200 lectures across different parts of the Maharashtra, meeting doctor associations and explaining about certain procedures, which procedures work best for different conditions and the services available. This effort created a referral network and helped patients reach specialized care at the right time.

Alongside this, Dr Pratap also reached out directly to the public. He wrote detailed articles in daily newspapers, translating scientific knowledge into simple, vernacular language that patients and their families could easily understand. Today, almost 70–80 percent of his patients come directly, either having read his articles, heard of him through others, or been referred by earlier patients.

In the case of elderly patients, Dr Pratap emphasizes three things: helping them understand their disease, detecting serious conditions like malignancies early, and keeping their caretakers well-informed. Since many come from rural or semi-urban areas while their families live in cities, he says staying connected with both patients and their caregivers ensures timely medical attention if complications arise.

I wanted to bring reliable gastroenterology care to people who needed it the most, especially beyond major cities

Building a Collaborative Practice

Over the last two decades, Dr Prataprao has built a collaborative practice in gastroenterology and liver care, bringing together a skilled team that ensures patients receive comprehensive treatment. His core team includes laparoscopic surgeons Dr Bahar Kulkarni and Dr Pramod Rajgoi, anaesthetist Dr Prasad Bodas, and 16 trained nursing staff, OT assistants, and endoscopy assistants who specialize in gastroenterology services and have performed over 50000+ successful endoscopic procedures.

What makes his practice stand out is this multidisciplinary approach. Complex cases require insights from different specialties. For instance, a pancreatitis patient with pleural effusion may need a respiratory physician, while advanced liver disease might call for cardiology or nephrology support. By integrating expertise across fields, Dr Prataprao and his team provide holistic, well-rounded care tailored to each patient’s needs.

Dr Prataprao on Lifestyle & Hygiene

Dr Prataprao points out that many health problems today are linked to the way we live, including what we eat, how active we are, and the habits we follow. He says most diseases do not appear overnight but build up slowly over time. Changing food habits, especially the growing trend of eating processed and outside food, are making things worse. Poor hygiene adds to the problem.

With India already being called the diabetes capital, the growing issues of obesity and uncontrolled diabetes are expected to increase liver-related diseases in the future. At the same time, autoimmune conditions are now being seen in much younger people. He believes that patients must be guided and supported to change their lifestyle. Additionally, diagnostic facilities should also reach smaller towns.

Future of Gastroenterology

In India, genetic research in gastroenterology is still at development stage, though steady progress is being made. According to Dr Prataprao the immediate priority is improving access to expert services, especially in tier-II and tier-III cities. Once that gap is bridged, advancements in genetics will help in diagnosing liver and gastrointestinal diseases much earlier, which is an area he aims to contribute to.

For aspiring doctors in gastroenterology, he advices to focus on patient care. “Build your practice around patients, not just procedures. In the beginning, you may see fewer patients, but if your approach is genuine and patient-centric, success will follow”, he says. “It takes time for society to develop confidence in your knowledge and ethical practice. Though you may have extraordinary knowledge, what truly matters is when society places its faith in you as a doctor. Once that trust is built, there’s no looking back”.

Awards & Recognition:
•Felicitated by the Health Minister & Governor of Maharashtra in 2022 for extraordinary services in gastroenterology during the pandemic.
•Bharath Gaurav Puraskar